Denbigh High School seniors Sonia Shaw and Desarey Chambless stand over a hot stove in the home economics room and watch a pot of corn syrup reach 300 degrees. Hoping not to burn it, they add coloring and flavoring to the boiling mixture and carefully pour it into a heart-shaped candy mold. The hot, sticky goo is suddenly transformed into a Valentine's Day lollipop. But, they won't be eating the candy - they'll be marketing and selling it for a profit, just in time for Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. As part of national Vocational Education Week, Feb. 14-20, business and home economics students are learning about entrepreneurship, profit-making and money management by selling flavored lollipops and homemade chocolate.

Nancye Gray Allen Laine died Jan. 24, 2010, at home. She was born Dec. 23, 1937, in Farmville, Va., and grew up in Isle of Wight County on the family farm near Collosse. Her family moved to Windsor in 1951. She graduated from Windsor High School where she played basketball and was a cheerleader. Nancye graduated from Longwood College with a degree in Home Economics and was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority. She taught seventh grade at Chuckatuck in the 1960's before moving to John Yeates High School where she taught Home Economics until 1973 when her daughter was born.

Sandra Lewis, the new Middlesex County 4-H extension agent, comes to her job with roots in farming, a career history in teaching and a love of children. The daughter of a teacher and the granddaughter of farmers, Lewis grew up in Northumberland County where she participated in 4-H programs as a girl. After graduating from Northumberland High School, she had married and started her family, when the death of her husband forced her to return to college. "I started school late because I had married and had the first of my three children when my husband died.

Ulla K. Kinzie, 81, of Hampton, went home to her heavenly Father on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009. Ulla was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to the late Niels Laursen and Johanne Johansen on Sept. 20, 1928. After graduating from college, she became a Home Economics teacher and later held a position with the Danish consulate in Reykjavik, Iceland. She moved to the United States in 1955, residing in Troutville, Va., before making her home in Hampton. Ulla confessed Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. She was a longtime member of Fox Hill Central United Methodist Church.

Enrollment in vocational educational programs at the high school level is on the rise, but some students still don't realize the importance of taking advantage of these courses, says Helen Snyder, home economics supervisor for the Newport News Public Schools. "As they plan for the future, high school students should look into the vocation-oriented programs offered, especially those who are thinking of getting jobs as soon as they graduate," she says. Snyder, who has been with the Newport News public school system for 35 years, selected a career in education because the influence of a strong home economics program in her own high school.

Middlesex County, the only locality in the state that has no extension agents to staff its office, is in line to get two agents in coming months, James F. Johnson, director of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, said Monday. The county is among 25 localities that will receive personnel transferred from other offices in the state to deal with shortages brought on by retirements and budget cuts. More than half the offices that extension officials decided were understaffed are in eastern Virginia.

After 24 years of service to James City County, Shirley Willis has retired as the county's unit director of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. One of her many projects was developing educational programs to help county residents upgrade their homes. "I tried to seek as many avenues as possible to help someone," says Willis. "I also tried to help people help themselves." The Virginia Cooperative Extension Service provides residents with educational programs in agriculture, home economics and 4-H. Willis specialized in home economics, which includes family economics and nutritional programs designed to diminish disease.

Doris Wimmer, assistant director of vocational education in Hampton City Schools, has seen many changes toward high tech electronics during the 33 years she has been in education. She is happy that while growing up she decided to go into education. "A lot of family members were in education, so it's sort of a tradition," she says. "I always thought I would be a teacher, and I have enjoyed it. I'm very glad that I made that decsion. I like working with students and others in education."

It took a while, but Donna Matzeder has found a place with the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. She's been an extension agent for home economics and 4-H for 1 1/2 years in King William County. Before, she worked with Gloucester County Community Education. While in Gloucester, she was also a home economics volunteer with Janet Leigh in the extension office."I had been interested in the Extension Service for some time and she encouraged me to investigate it further." A native of Kansas, Matzeder graduated from Pittsburg State University there with a degree in home economics.

Some Denbigh High School students are making, marketing and selling candy at school just in time for Valentine's Day. Both a business management and home economics class have taken part in the venture, but have taken different approaches to getting their classroom businesses started. Brenda Wrightington's business-management class, which is making and selling chocolate suckers under the name "Sweet Sensations," first sold stock certificates at $1 each to earn money to get started.

Students and teachers return today to Flora D. Crittenden Middle School, two days after an explosion blew out a 50-foot brick wall and injured eight construction workers. The school was closed Monday while teams of investigators looked for the cause of the blast that occurred early Sunday morning as workers were spreading melted tar to repair the roof on the 50-year-old school building. Workers are not allowed to do any work involving hot tar while students are in the building, so they were taking advantage of the weekend to tackle the renovation.

On Oct. 17, 2008, Patricia Clements passed away. Born in Ft. Monroe, Va., Aug. 24, 1929, she graduated Calvin Coolidge High, Washington, D.C., and the University of Maryland with a degree in Home Economics. She traveled extensively and her love for life on the water came from living in Saipan, Hawaii, the Panama Canal Zone and her favorite beachfront residence, Topsail Beach, N.C. She taught Home Economics and was employed by Northwest Federal Credit Union in later years. Her primary focus in life was her devotion to her family and she leaves to cherish her memory, daughter, Andrea V. Flory and husband, Les Flory; sons, Judson W. Clements Jr. and wife, Tina Clements, Theodore John Clements and Christopher Clements; grandchildren, Lindsey, Christopher and Jason Flory, Judson H. Clements and wife, Heather, and Andrew Scanlon; great-grandchildren, Judson H. and Caroline F. Clements.

Lisa Marie Perk and Dr. Christopher James Wright were married at the Aldrich House in Williamsburg, Va., on June 16, 2007. The Honorable R. Bruce Long officiated. The bride was attended by her daughter, Miss Madeline Marie Wright. The bride is the daughter of Leo J. Perk of Williamsburg and Marie H. Perk of Yorktown. The bride graduated from Old Dominion University and was a member of Phi Alpha Theta, an honor society for students of history. She was employed as a paralegal specializing in Workers' Compensation matters.

Nancy Clark Stone, 79, of Williamsburg, died Saturday, April 7, 2007, at Hospice House in Williamsburg. Nancy was born Nov. 24, 1928, in Abington, Pa., to Dorothy Church and Wilbur N. Sprott. The family moved from Pennsylvania to Nyack, N.Y., where Nancy graduated from Nyack High School. From there she attended Cornell University, earning a bachelor's degree in Home Economics. On April 5, 1952, she married Marvin "Joe" Stone in Nyack. Nancy and Joe spent their early years living in and enjoying New York City.

Mrs. Louise Hill Barnes of Richmond, a retired teacher of Chesterfield County Public School System after 43 years of service, departed this life Nov. 27, 2004. Her retirement was as a science and home economics instructor at Thomas Dale High School. In her tenure of 40 years she taught home economics first at Hickory Hill High School and later at Carver High School in Chesterfield County, Va. She is survived by her devoted nephew, Clarence L. Nicholas III of whom she raised as her son; one brother, Lawrence R. Hill; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

One Surry woman traveled several paths on the road to integration -- as a teacher in a segregated school, in a private white school and finally in an integrated public school. Iva "Polly" Seward got her first job in 1950 teaching home economics, after graduating from Longwood College. She later taught in the whites-only Surry County Academy, which was opened in 1963 to avoid integration. After that, she taught at the integrated Smithfield High School. She doesn't remember the Brown v. Board of Education decision making an impression in 1954, nor does she remember much discussion about whether the schools should integrate until almost a decade later.

For the first time in 25 years, Julia Churchill is setting goals that are not related to education. "I'm going to do all the things I always wanted to do - sewing, needlecraft, home decorating, gardening, traveling," says Churchill, who retired in June after a 25-year teaching career in Williamsburg-James City County public schools. "I want to play pinochle and sing in the church choir. "I'm also going to do some volunteer work, maybe in the schools or maybe with senior citizens.

Doris Heath has a simple goal as she begins her duties as James City County extension agent for home economics. "I just want to do a good job," says the Fluvanna County native who comes here after serving three years in a similar post in Goochland County. "I had a good rapport with the people there and I hope to do the same here." Heath fills the vacancy created by the retirement of longtime home economist Shirley Willis last October. Her first step will be to meet with local agencies and volunteers who worked with Willis to determine what the needs are for local programs.

HAMPTON - Rhoene Zimmerman Johnson, 76, died at home Sunday, March 7, 2004. Born in Mt. Solon, she had lived in Hampton 50 years where she taught at Francis Asbury Elementary School until she retired in 1986 after 30 years of service. She attended James Madison University and graduated from Bridgewater College with a BS Degree in Home Economics. Before moving to Hampton she taught in Augusta and Highland Counties. In 1973 she was nominated by one of her students and received the Valley Forge Teachers Medal.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Martha "Pem" L. Anderson, 75, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2003, at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Norfolk, Va. Born May 14, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Paul Howard Lilly Sr. and Alma Lee Shield Lilly. Mrs. Anderson was a 1949 graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute; had taught Home Economics in Monroe, Conn., and Bridgehampton, Long Island, N.Y.; was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star; and was very active in charity work with the Virginia Beach United Methodist Church and a member of the Agape Sunday School Class.